variants
or counter-attacks
as in attacks
an attack made to counter an enemy's attack
suddenly the tide of battle turned, and the rebels, who had been falling back, made a furious counterattack
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of counterattacks
Under coach Sergej Barbarez, a former professional poker player, the gritty Bosnians rarely gamble, instead playing a disciplined and physical style that emphasizes compactness and swift counterattacks.
—
Kevin Baxter,
Los Angeles Times,
1 July 2026
Switzerland more than doubled Bosnia and Herzegovina’s possession in the first half, but did little with it as their fellow UEFA opponent defended with numbers in hopes of pouncing on counterattacks.
—
Josh Gross,
Oc Register,
18 June 2026
Sun Yingsha’s speed, anticipation, backhand counterattacks, and composure under pressure have made her one of the greatest table-tennis athletes of all time.
—
Charlie Campbell,
Time,
9 June 2026
This will be key, as one of Giraldez’s main tactics to cause Barcelona problems will be counterattacks.
—
Tamerra Griffin,
New York Times,
21 May 2026
Suwon responded with counterattacks as the North Koreans struggled to clear crosses into the box, with a header from home forward Haruhi Suzuki bouncing off a post in the 21st.
—
ABC News,
20 May 2026
Bassong continued in the midfield through 2025, bringing that same intense defensive presence while jump-starting counterattacks.
—
Daniel Sperry,
Kansas City Star,
30 Mar. 2026
Launch units can reposition quickly, reducing vulnerability to counterattacks.
—
Aamir Khollam,
Interesting Engineering,
28 Mar. 2026
Oil and gas prices have soared this past month after Iran launched counterattacks that closed the Strait of Hormuz, cutting off about 20% of the world’s supply of oil from global markets.
—
Mustafa Qadri,
CNN Money,
26 Mar. 2026
Kevin Baxter,
Los Angeles Times,
1 July 2026
Switzerland more than doubled Bosnia and Herzegovina’s possession in the first half, but did little with it as their fellow UEFA opponent defended with numbers in hopes of pouncing on counterattacks.
—
Josh Gross,
Oc Register,
18 June 2026
Sun Yingsha’s speed, anticipation, backhand counterattacks, and composure under pressure have made her one of the greatest table-tennis athletes of all time.
—
Charlie Campbell,
Time,
9 June 2026
This will be key, as one of Giraldez’s main tactics to cause Barcelona problems will be counterattacks.
—
Tamerra Griffin,
New York Times,
21 May 2026
Suwon responded with counterattacks as the North Koreans struggled to clear crosses into the box, with a header from home forward Haruhi Suzuki bouncing off a post in the 21st.
—
ABC News,
20 May 2026
Bassong continued in the midfield through 2025, bringing that same intense defensive presence while jump-starting counterattacks.
—
Daniel Sperry,
Kansas City Star,
30 Mar. 2026
Launch units can reposition quickly, reducing vulnerability to counterattacks.
—
Aamir Khollam,
Interesting Engineering,
28 Mar. 2026
Oil and gas prices have soared this past month after Iran launched counterattacks that closed the Strait of Hormuz, cutting off about 20% of the world’s supply of oil from global markets.
—
Mustafa Qadri,
CNN Money,
26 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for counterattacks
Noun
-
The British Army also provided protection from attacks by Native American tribes, giving many settlers little reason to support a rebellion.
-
Twice in recent days, the United States has launched retaliatory strikes on Iran following drone attacks on commercial ships in the Strait of Hormuz.
Noun
-
Russia still controls roughly one-fifth of Ukrainian territory, while Kyiv has recently clawed back limited ground in counteroffensives.
-
Dynamic shifts on the battlefield — with large swaths of Ukrainian land changing hands in offensives and counteroffensives in the early years of the war — have since given way to a conflict of inches.
Noun
-
Ukrainian officials describe the strikes as a campaign to pressure Moscow to end the war by undermining its military logistics and supply lines and weakening its ability to mount assaults along the front.
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Ukrainian officials describe the strikes as a campaign to pressure Moscow to end the war by undermining military logistics and supply lines and weakening its ability to mount front-line assaults.
Noun
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According to Chinese state media, the units involved in the missile launch are trained to operate under demanding battlefield conditions, including severe electromagnetic interference and precision counterstrikes.
-
As Russia’s advance stalls, Ukraine boosts long-range strikes After a series of gains last year, Russia’s advances along the over 600-mile front line have ground to a near halt recently, and Ukraine’s armed forces have launched successful counterstrikes and reclaimed some ground.
Cite this Entry
“Counterattacks.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/counterattacks. Accessed 4 Jul. 2026.
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